To avoid confusion, it will help to keep a few key definitions in mind while considering the remainder of this document. Unless otherwise specified, the term “program information” will be understood to include all forms of information related to programs provided by television, computer, Internet, set-top box or otherwise for viewing including, but not limited to, program scheduling information. Examples of program information include the following: program names, channels, network names, program lengths, episode descriptions, ratings information, Internet information, audio format information, and subtitle information, to name only a few. Another important term is “program scheduling information.” The distinction between program information and program scheduling information can be subtle, so for purposes of clarity, unless otherwise specified, the term “program scheduling information” will be understood to be a subset of program information including, but not limited to, channels on which programs are broadcast as well as scheduled broadcast dates and times. Furthermore, it is to be understood that the term “network” is used throughout this disclosure in a broader sense than the usual meaning given to the term “network”. In other words, the use of the term network is not limited to broadcasting companies that broadcast to a network of affiliates throughout the country. Rather, the term network is used loosely to describe different programming entities that occupy different channels in a viewing spectrum, regardless of whether these programming entities, for example, broadcast to a network of affiliates or only to a local cable station. Finally, unless otherwise specified, the term “related programs” will be understood to include, but not be limited to, episodes of recurring programs, segments of a multi-part program, programs with similar content, and programs related through an intermediate program. Other examples of related programs will be set forth in the Detailed Description section of this document.
Typical EPGs are used much like printed program schedules; a user looks through program information or scheduling information including a listing of programs and their scheduled start times. However, unlike their printed program schedule counterparts, EPGs include a user interface having user selectable cells for selecting programs for viewing. Some EPGs also provide users the ability to search for items based on themes such as Western movies or basketball. What most EPGs lack, however, is a means for identifying related programs without specific input from a user. For example, a user may be able to identify all basketball games airing on a certain day by selecting a theme, but current EPGs will not notify a user that a biography of a favorite player is airing immediately after a game the user has scheduled for recording.
Examples of prior art describing EPGs are U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,706,121; B1 4,706,121 (Reexamination of U.S. Pat. No. 4,706,121); 5,353,121; 5,532,754; 5,151,789 and 5,550,576, all of which patents are incorporated herein by reference.
If an EPG maintained a subset of the program information for related programs with the program information of a given program, users would only need to identify one program of interest, and the system could either notify them of related programs or perform another action such as recording related programs, based on the information contained in the EPG.
What is needed is a method, system, software and signal for maintaining a subset of the program information for related programs with the program information of a given program and using this information to schedule program events.